Lady Gangster

Starring:Faye Emerson, Julie Bishop, Frank Wilcox, Roland Drew, Jackie Gleason, Ruth Ford, Virginia Brissac, Dorothy Vaughan, Dorothy Adams, William Hopper, Vera Lewis, Herbert Rawlinson, Peggy Diggins, Charles C. Wilson, William 'Bill' Phillips, Frank Mayo, Leah Baird, Joan Winfield, Daisy Bufford, Fred Kelsey
Director: Robert Florey
Studio: Alpha Video
Product Type: DVD

Average customer rating:

4.5 Dolemite-- a comedic experiance like no other
Either the best or the worst
The Worst Blaxploitation Film Ever Made
Cinematic Masterpiece
Only two reasons:

Dolemite
Starring: Brenda Banks (II) , Jana Bisbing , Brenda DeLong , Pat Haywood , and Karolynn Hill
Manufacturer: Xenon
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: 6305310963
Release Date: 2002-03-19

Amazon.com

Who's the baddest motherf****r to blow onto blaxploitation screens? Forget Shaft and just ask X-rated comic and "godfather of rap" Rudy Ray Moore. He'll give you the gospel of Dolemite. Street hustler, pimp, and all-around ghetto superhero Dolemite began life as a character in Moore's nightclub act and was a natural character for his self-financed film debut, a revenge tale set on the corrupt streets of L.A.

Dolemite is sprung from prison by an impossibly understanding warden so he can find the drug-dealing, gun-smuggling crooks who framed him. With the help of his all-girl army of kung fu killers and the most flamboyant wardrobe this side of Cher, he lays waste to dozens of bad guys while spouting his funky raps. Thick, slow and sleepy, Moore is neither a natural actor not a convincing martial arts action hero, but his lazy line deliveries are great, lyrical cascades of four-letter words and "ghetto expressions," and he performs two of his most famous stand-up raps, "Shine and the Great Titanic" and "The Signifying Monkey."

Dolemite is not a particularly competent movie--the direction (by costar D'Urville Martin) is clumsy, the performances flat, and microphones peek in from time to time (get that video letterboxed, Xenon!)--but the outrageous mix of nightclub rap, kung-fu action, and Moore's four-letter dialogue turned it into an instant urban hit and has kept it alive as a cult classic. Dolemite returns in The Human Tornado. The DVD also features clips from the documentary The Legend of Dolemite and the complete lyrics to his raps. --Sean Axmaker

Customer Reviews:

4.5 Dolemite-- a comedic experiance like no other.......2007-03-04

Many people might be overly critical of an otherwise enjoyable film. Definately Dolemite is not for everybody and definately not for those who only enjoy either art house films [not that it's a bad thing]. I was introduced to Dolemite while reading a know defunt hip-hop magazine. The particular issue was paying homage to Rudy Ray Moore. I decided to take the plunge and rent Dolemite from the local Blockbuster. Having Done so I can say I found the movie both entertaining and hysterical at the same time.

The comedy was very low-brow but Rudy Ray Moore gave it a certain style and grace that only few people can do. Consider also that Rudy Ray Moore was ghetto comedy before the advent of Richard Pryor. Rudy Ray Moore,alongside Paul Mooney and Red Foxx, paved the way for the type of ghetto comedy that would latter be made mainstream by Richard Pryor.

Of all the so-called blaxplotation movies I have seen thus far[I don't really like that term], I have to say this movie has a certain comedic charm that shines despite the mediocre acting,bogus martial arts,and paper thin plot. You know immediately that Dolemite is not a film that takes itself very seriously. Just a film to watch and amuse yourself with as Rudy Ray Moore intended to do so.

Just a little historical background into this film before I bore the life out of you. Most of Rudy Ray Moore's characters come from African-American folk-lore. Dolemite originally started as a urban toast in African-American communities of a outlaw type figure.

Either the best or the worst.......2007-02-13

This is either the greatest or the worst Blaxploitation film ever made. I am not sure. Unlike other films like "Foxy Brown" or "Cleopatra Jones," this movie makes no attempt to make blacks dignified upstanding citizens, rather it does the opposite like "The Mack" times a million. The Nword is dropped constantly, people refer to each other as motherf***er all the time and so on. Maybe it is more real, maybe not. It certainly is a hilariously over the top run into a world that is rarely visited in this way.

The movie's plot is thin... at worst. Dolemite is a pimpin', club owning, karate master with a legion of trollops who are also karate masters. He was also framed and sent to prison by his archrival pimpin' club owner (this one does not know king-fu as well as Dolemite though). Anyway he is released in order to, well um, stop crime. So, instead he does the opposite and beats a lot of people up. Then he has sex with some strumpets and then he talks to some druggie. He also spills a huge sack of coke on a police officer.

Anyway, the movie ends in a chaotic kung-fu battle and whatever else. The entire movie is hilarious and should be watched only because of the incredibly utile quotes. Here are some good ones:

"You rat soup eating honky motherf***er!"

"Man move over and let me pass 'fore they have to be pulling these hush puppies out your motherf***ing a**!"

Fun... well that is what the movie is. It is horribly politically incorrect. Some scenes may straight out shock a sensitive viewer, but all in all it is a fun romp through an era of funny, flamboyant hats and canes to match. Go buy it or rent it, it is always handy to have at a party where things are going too slow. I am sure 100s of drinking games can be made for this movie.

The Worst Blaxploitation Film Ever Made.......2006-11-08

Everything about this movie was wrong: the plot, the acting, the production, and Dolemite's clothes. I don't even understand why this movie is so loved. Horrible. Dolemite was greazy and disgusting and you couldn't pay me any amount of money to touch him with a 10 foot pole. I'm giving this movie 2 stars only because the fighting scenes were so awful that they were funny.

Cinematic Masterpiece.......2006-09-30

Eschewing conventional acting methodology, Rudy Ray Moore inhabits Dolemite with an unparalleled ferocity. His signature line, "I'm Dolemite, Mutha(expletive)" is delivered time and time again in a drunken slur: a brutal, but anguished, plea for sanity. To the untrained eye, it might seem like Dolemite's karate kicks are not even connecting with his foes, but this is a metaphor for the never ending conundrum of the pimp/poet/warrior. Watch for the symbolism inherent in the furry hat and pay close attention to the pants that come up to his armpits as both are integral to understanding the magnificence that is Dolemite.

Others here have mocked the presence of the boom mike. What they do not realize is that the boom mike represents The Man - ever encroaching on the brothers. Dolemite knows just how to handle the problem: a flurry of karate to moves to show those "Mutha(expletive)s" how it is done.

Highly recommended.

Only two reasons:.......2005-10-13

This movie is worth buying just for these two reasons:

1) The Hamburger Pimp (think of him as a crack-headed, nappy-haired version of Popeye's Wimpy). And he has his own theme music.

2) This movie contains the greatest single line in cinematic history.
Just as the two crooked cops (with their sideburns down to here) pull Dolemite over in a futile attempt to frame the baddest motha' around, they taunt, "You think you're so bad, Dolemite...riding around in your big fancy cars, wearing all them fancy clothes, with all of your black b*tches!" our hero snaps back with, "You forgot about the white one!"

They just don't make movies like they used two. Buy two copies, one to permanently leave in your DVD player. And the other to put under your pillow when you sleep.

-C

Average customer rating:

Has achieved cult status following...Quentin Tarantino would have been proud of it...
the clash of "old" and "new" Hollywood
Lady in a Cage
Fear And Loathing In L.A.
Olivia.......Olivia........Nothing Bad You Can Say About Her Acting

Lady in a Cage
Starring: Olivia de Havilland , James Caan , Jennifer Billingsley , Jeff Corey , and Ann Sothern
Director: Walter Grauman
Manufacturer: Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0007KIFRS
Release Date: 2005-03-29

Amazon.com

In Lady in a Cage, Olivia de Havilland plays an aging, wealthy widow who is recuperating from a recent hip operation and is forced to use an elevator to get from one story of her home to the other. While she's headed for the upper story of the house, a power failure occurs that leaves her stranded in the elevator car 12 feet off the ground. The elevator's alarm bell arouses the curiosity of a passing wino, who comes in and helps himself to the widow's wine cellar. The transient and a friend begin looting the house until they are one-upped by a trio of feral, neobeatnik thugs (led by a very young James Caan). All the invaders merely ignore the widow's pleas for help as they toss her house in an orgy of violence. The thugs torture and kill the wino and hold his friend hostage along with the widow, until the tables are turned on them once again. For 1964, this is a surprisingly harsh and overwrought movie, easily 10 or 15 years ahead of its time; its nasty view of human nature and graphic violence led to its being banned in Britain entirely. James Caan, in his second movie role, is chillingly convincing as the pack leader whose violent streak comes as casually as, say, tying his shoelaces. Fans of Paul Schrader, Scorsese, or Tarantino films should especially take notice: Lady in a Cage is a nerve-racking viewing experience, one that still packs a noxious punch, with an ending that's a real jaw-dropper. --Jerry Renshaw

Description

Destroying her well-oriented world, the elevator, nine feet from the floor, becomes a torture chamber--a cage. Unable to escape, her situation becomes desperate when the emergency alarm attracts a drunken derelict (James Caan) and his boozy prostitute friend, both bent on robbery

Customer Reviews:

Has achieved cult status following...Quentin Tarantino would have been proud of it..........2007-06-04

LADY IN A CAGE is a thriller that exploits the very subject matter it is trying to expose in such a grim manner. A wealthy lady (OLIVIA DE HAVILLAND) is recovering from a hip operation that forces her to use a self-operated "lift" in her home where she is surrounded by luxury items and a self-absorbed but orderly existence. She is exactly the sort of person unprepared for the invasion of a group of thugs who make her life a living hell when they intrude upon her household in the crudest possible way.

When the film first opened, it was received poorly by the film critics of the day who lambasted it for its graphic depiction of senseless violence and viewed it as no more than a cheap horror flick. However, the years have been kinder to it than anyone could have expected. Perhaps de Havilland was right when she judged that the film was "way ahead of its time" in dealing with this sort of subject matter because today it is much more highly regarded for what it is trying to say beneath the graphic brutality.

JAMES CAAN is the ruthless leader of the pack, obviously a delinquent of the first order who enjoys humiliating and playing mind games with the victimized woman in the cage. It is he who exposes her as a not very sympathetic woman who has smothered her son with affection to the point where he has left a suicide note addressed to her as "Darling". Caan's frank dialog is particularly rough here and his shoving around of the defenseless woman is not a pleasant sight to witness.

JEFF COREY overacts mercilessly as a vagrant with a thirst for any liquor he can get his hands on and ANN SOTHERN does an effective supporting role as a blowsy prostitute not above taking advantage of what looks to be a good situation. The less said about RAFAEL CAMPOS and JENNIFER BILLINGSLEY the better. Their overripe work is almost embarrassing at times.

It's obvious that Luther Davis was exposing the flaws in society that certainly came to the surface during the '60s, shortly before the Manson murders became widely known. The baby boomers of the drug generation certainly get their share of blame here.

Summing up: Not for the faint of heart, but a searing expose of certain societal ills in a not too subtle way. Olivia at least is highly convincing in what must have been an exhausting role to play and a most unusual one.

the clash of "old" and "new" Hollywood.......2007-04-29

An intense and unnerving movie experience, LADY IN A CAGE is not for the faint-hearted. The story revolves around Mrs Cornelia Hilyard (Olivia de Havilland), a woman trying to peacefully recover from a hip-replacement within the confines of her home. On a very hot day, she becomes stuck in her elevator, and is terrorised by a group of criminals and hoods who break in.

Ann Sothern turns in a fabulous performance as Sade, a hard-bitten prostitute; whilst James Caan--in only his second film--seems to be channeling Brando as he plays the menacing gang leader Randall Simpson O'Connell. Jennifer Billingsley plays the vile gang moll, Elaine.

Olivia de Havilland is heartbreaking as the terrorised Mrs Hilyard. This was the second 'scream queen' role which she played in 1964 (the other is "Hush...Hush, Sweet Charlotte"). In the wrong hands this material could have become melodramatic, but de Havilland always was a very truthful and instinctual actress, and the same is true for her performance here.

Whenever I watch LADY IN A CAGE, I'm always struck by the notion that it's the clash of "Old Hollywood" and "New Hollywood". By that, I mean that you have two of the great Hollywood women--Olivia de Havilland and Ann Sothern--clashing literally and physically with much younger actors for whom their movies and work would have meant absolutely nothing. This film was made on the cusp of changes within Hollywood, too. Shortly the MPAA ratings system would be set into place, allowing movies to go further than they had ever been allowed to in the past.

So much of this film is completely unsettling, particularly as this pre-dates the Manson killings (and this film features scenes which would eerily echo in reality).

Certainly no feel-good movie, but worthy of any classic film collection. The DVD sadly does not feature any extras.

Lady in a Cage.......2007-02-28

Lady in a Cage is a refreshing entry
into the B&W horror genre of the 60's.
I've always been a fan of Olivia de Havilland
so as I was reading the description and reviews
I wasn't sure if I really wanted to see this film.
Even while knowing that she's a great actress
it was hard for me to imagine her in such a bizarre role.
I was happy to see that she gave an excellent performance.

Unlike other movies of the genre, "Lady in a Cage" comes
off classy and refined, in spite of the violent subject matter.
There are no unconvincing actors to be found and the
suspense level puts this movie right on par with Hitchcock.
In fact, I was most suprised at how suspenseful this was
because the general plot description sounded so basic. Great
acting and creative cinematography puts the movie at the
helm of the genre.

The movie begins with a deceptively wholesome opening reminiscent
of a 1950's family sitcom and it actually never loses that feeling;
however, characters enter, plunder, and exit the home, thus providing
the action and suspense. At times, De havilland's overly
dramatic acting delivery seems a little contrived, but it's
the same style that won her two Oscars. Upon closer
examination one can see how her Puritan
character creates a glaring contrast to the
brutal juveniles, the repentant alcholic thief, and
the opportunistic female hustler. It's this contrast
that sets the scene for a heightened suspense factor.

This movie is great for purchase or rental. It's guaranteed
to provoke an endless range of emotions in the viewer.

Fear And Loathing In L.A........2007-01-24

This is one hell of a mean-spirited, people-loathing movie. This is the kind of movie John Waters wishes he could make. Negative, negative, negative... vicious... every character is a monster.

"Lady In A Cage" is clearly the vision of its producer/writer, Luther Davis. He has an agenda the size of Los Angeles, and he piles it on high, for nerve-wracking, disturbing effect.

I haven't seen a movie in a long time that disturbed me like this did. And it's symptomatic of a number of downright-sick and mean films from the early '60s. It's much like 1963's "The Sadist" in its unremitting anger, violence and hopelessness.

The performances are caricatures, and all are dialed up past 11. The leering, mugging and telegraphing of the actors are all in accord. Olivia DeHavilland's performance, ironically, is the most low-key in the entire film.

One weird thing about the film: what happens to Ann Sothern's character? She's locked in a room by James Caan, and that's the last we see or hear of her. Presumably, she survives... or did I blink and miss something?

This Luther Davis cat must have had one chip on his shoulder. "Lady In A Cage" is fascinating, absurd, sickening and highly anti-social filmmaking.

Olivia.......Olivia........Nothing Bad You Can Say About Her Acting.......2007-01-04

During the era of promoting these great actresses in not so big budget films was a learning experience for the viewer. Here you can get an idea of how good an actor can do without the big expense of special effects and multiple set designs. James Caan also does a great job in one of his first movies as a street thug. But Olivia can do it all. Would have loved to seen her in a one woman play on Broadway. The days of Baby Jane and Hush, Hush, Sweet Charlotte are evident in this production made around the same time.

Average customer rating:

Human Tornado fails to topple my funny bone
* * * * * for the film, cut is butchered...
So Bad, It's Good.
The Kung-Fu is worth the purchase price alone!!!
Dolemite's back!

The Human Tornado
Starring: Rudy Ray Moore , Lady Reed , J.B. Baron , Herb Graham , and Ernie Hudson
Director: Cliff Roquemore
Manufacturer: Xenon
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: 6305501076
Release Date: 2002-03-19

Customer Reviews:

Human Tornado fails to topple my funny bone.......2007-04-14

What is the question that will forever be the Dolemite aficionado. A burning question guranteed to forever split both sides of the debate.[No, its not that serious] Just which Dolemite movies are better than the other. Is it Dolemite or the Human Tornado? For me it was the Dolemite over the Human Tornado. The Humando tornado starts off as a F5 but by the closing credits it whimpers into a FO. What hinders the film is both sluggish pace and lack of funny lines from Rudy Ray Moore. The films does have some interesting material[such as the Mrs. Cavaletti scene and car chase] but it just comes off as too soft and slow. Let's not forget the fact it lacks the defining role of our favoriet character--the Hamburger Pimp!!!!

Dolemite's homeboys are just not funny. The three friends and all the other supporting actors and actresses lack any comic relief[ this was not so in Dolemite because eveybody from Queen B down to Hamburger pimp were funny as Rudy Ray Moore].

Human Tornado is not my favoriet Dolemite film . The film simply fails for me but it might exceed your expectations. Maybe my opinion is a little premature considering that at least two reviewers make clear that this version was cut. I definately would like to see the original cut if possible

* * * * * for the film, cut is butchered..........2005-10-12

First, I have to point out like one of the other reviewers, the company that released it has BUTCHERED the cut, scenes are put together out of order, stuff missing, etc. Its almost to the point of ruining the film... Unfortunately, the video edition is so hard to find you might have to settle for it anyway... and still the scenes are great, but the cut will make the film feel far choppier than it actually was - - Ashame because I actually like this one more than Dolemite. The opening credits alone with the ULTRA FUNKY MUSIC and the cheap opening credits is hillarious... especially when we find out that Dolemite was so funky that he created his own form of Kung Fu that incorporated funky disco movies - - and when he wasn't practising Kung Fu he had some funky moves (and ladies) elsewhere. In fact, while arguably many of the ladies on his album covers could look pretty nasty at times, the chicks in this film are built for speed - - and well exhibited. Take the legendary "interrogation" scene with Mrs. Cavalette (when Dolemite ummmmmmmmm... questions her so hard, the hotel room starts collapsing from the ceiling...

Scene after scene in this top is over the top... and the visits to those funky mid-70's dawn of disco clubs with cameo appearences from his posse make the film the ultimate Rudy Ray Moore Film... from the music to the moves.

As for the plot... Well Dolemite's out of jail, and his club (Run by Lady Reed and her "girls") is doing too well... so the mafia steps in and kidnaps her best two gals... Dolemite, however stirs up some trouble heading out West by getting caught screwing the hick sheriff's wife (featuring the famous scene where he jumps off the cliff butt naked, the film is freeze framed and Rudy announces, "So y'all don't believe I jumped... well check this sh*t out ! ! !) With the sheriff on his trail, and a mission to find his gals, things just get crazy and crazier as Dolemite show's that he has three weapons... his mind, his moves and a third one which I happen to forget for the time being.

If you're one of the people who consideres Rudy Ray Moore's humor IGNORANT and DEGRADING, this film definitely won't change your mind... and if you're a person who likes the '70s at its funkiest, jiviest and most off the wall...

So Bad, It's Good. .......2004-08-02

If you're in need of some good laughs and are willing to overlook poor dialogue, an even worse plot and shoddy camera work, this is your movie.

I fell out of my chair laughing at some of the scenes in this movie - the opening scene where Dolemite dives head first down the side of a hill butt naked is classic! This is Rudy Ray Moore at his best.

The plot makes little sense but who cares. If you've seen the MadTV spoofs then and see this movie, you will realize they were dead on!!

Bottom line, if you're looking for fine art, don't bother. If you're looking for cheap laughs and non-PC humor, this is your flick.

The Kung-Fu is worth the purchase price alone!!!.......2003-08-14

Don't believe the fools who doubt Rudy Ray Moore!!! How can people look at the Dolemite movies seriously? The opening credits are printed on his GIANT JAMES-BROWN-STYLE CAPE!! You'll never enjoy the sensory overload and outright absurdity of these movies if you try to THINK about them. Just have a six-pack and a few smart-mouthed friends around when you watch it.

Nothing beats Dolemite's , jokin', hustlin' kung-fu ways. NOTHING!!! Step off, Batman!!!

I quote the man himself when I say: "Man, move over and let me pass, 'fore they has to be pullin' these Hush-Puppies out your ...!!"

My brother MADE me watch this, and I'm a changed man.

Dolemite's back!.......2002-03-01

Ok, last time we caught up with the godfather of rap he beat willie green and crooked politicans in a brilliant film. This time I'm affraid, Rudy Ray Moore fumbles. The Human Tornando succumbs to the sequel disease of being worse than the first one. It's not horrible it's a very good movie, but it tries to be to formulatic , it wants to be as good as the first one and use sub-plots resembly the first one.

Amazon.com

Based on a story by Damon Runyon, this Frank Capra film was nominated for several Oscars® after it was released in 1933 (it was remade by Capra as Pocketful of Miracles in 1961). A tenderhearted Depression-era comedy, it tells the story of Apple Annie (May Robson), a panhandling street vendor who has kept her real identity hidden from a daughter being reared in Europe. When the grown-up daughter comes to New York for a visit, Annie turns to gambler Dave the Dude (Warren William) for help. He transforms her--temporarily--into a high-society grande dame, but not without complications. The film is nearly stolen by Guy Kibbee, as a judge posing as Annie's husband, but Warren William, a John Barrymore lookalike, and dour Ned Sparks get laughs too. --Marshall Fine

Description

A Cinderella fairy tale set in the early 1930s, Lady for a Day is a delightfully charming mix of drama and comedy that earned four Academy Award nominations and propelled Frank Capra to the top ranks of popular filmmakers. Based on a Damon Runyon short story, Lady for a Day tells the tale of Apple Annie, a cantankerous New York City fruit peddler who has been pretending to be a high-society matron in letters to her daughter. When her daughter comes to visit with her aristocratic fiance, Apple Annie enlists her seedy gangster friends, who hilariously transform her into the grandest of dames!

Customer Reviews:

Good Movie.......2007-06-29

I seen this on TCM and thought i would buy it. I got to say that when i seen it on TV it looked better then it did from the DVD. Not a very high qualty dvd it is more like a dvd disk for your cpu.

The Dude.......2006-10-11

I know it's a stretch, but I can't help but think that the Coen Bros. knew this film well, when they wrote, "The Big Lebowski".

Both "dudes" share a disdain for the establishment, and yet are well respected by their peers. Both men attempt a good deed, but not without the prospect of a payout at it's completion. Both appear to be the most astute within their respective circles, and seem to be drawn into a larger episode against their will.

It seems that the constuction of "The Big Lebowski" in it's relationship to "Lady for a Day", is similar to the construction of "Oh Brother, Where Art Thou", in it's relationship to "The Odyssey". There is a basic premise from which a very enjoyable romp ensues.

Jeff Zolitor

wonderful surprise.......2006-07-12

This is the most wonderful movie with nobody I ever heard of except for the director, Frank Capra. May Robson is just fabulous -- tugs at your heartstrings, makes you cry and laugh. This is surely one of Capra's best movies -- not over the top or overly sentimental. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a two-hour smile.

a too rarely seen depression-era goody.......2006-05-04

this is the original version of frank capras better-remembered "pocketful of miracles", about a bag lady who has been sending her child to convent school in europe and is now faced with the prospect of her grown daughter coming to visit her supposedly grande dame mother in new york. the latter movie filled in alot of detail, but softened the sting of the depression-era original. i like both, but this is the better one.

All For One.......2006-04-03

Lady For a Day is about a woman named Apple Annie (May Robson). She has an illigitimate daughter who lives overseas; her daughter believes she is wealthy and married, which is okay because she will never find out. However, Annie's daughter wants to get married to a high-class man from Spain whose family wants to meet hers before they are wed. Annie is in a terrible spot and plans to fake her own death until she is able to win the support of several in her community to impersonate her wealthy alter ego.

Robson is great in her part, a sympathetic and dynamic character whose emotions ring absolutely true throughout. Guy Kibbee plays a unique role as an intelligent man who displays class and wit, unlike his standard drunken parts. Warren William also plays against type as a charitable man. Glenda Farrell has a small, forgettable part, but she looks more beautiful than ever.

This film displays the uplifting spirit that Capra's films became known for, a symbol of a by-gone era, one that many will not let themselves forget.

Average customer rating:

The Lady in Red
Amazing look at a poor girl stuggling to make a living.

The Lady in Red
Starring: Pamela Sue Martin , Robert Conrad , Louise Fletcher , Robert Hogan , and Laurie Heineman
Director: Lewis Teague
Manufacturer: New Concorde
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Crime | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

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ASIN: B000060MVV
Release Date: 2002-04-30

Amazon.com

Pamela Sue Martin kicked off the goody two shoes from her Nancy Drew image to play the feisty farm girl with Hollywood dreams who walked out of the Biograph on the arm of John Dillinger the night he was killed by the FBI. John Sayles wrote this depression-era gangster drama, loosely based on the real story of Polly Hamilton (renamed Polly Franklin for the film), and stuffs plenty of sex and social commentary around a surprisingly faithful recounting of the real-life event. Martin transforms from naive young thing to brassy hustler without losing her sweetness, and Robert Conrad is quite the gentleman hoodlum as Dillinger, but the unsung hero of the piece is Robert Forster, uncredited but indelible as a hit man who falls for fallen woman Polly. Colorful, action packed, and full of underdog spunk, this is exploitation moviemaking with a populist sensibility. --Sean Axmaker

Customer Reviews:

The Lady in Red.......2002-10-14

Stylish crime-drama about the lifestory of Dillinger's girlfriend 'the lady in red' completely set in the 1930's. Excellent yet violent story re-creates the feel of the era & sticks to facts

Amazing look at a poor girl stuggling to make a living........2002-04-30

THis movie I watched when I was quiet younger. I belive in the early eighties. I was amazed by the story and all the plots and turns. Great vinatge wear,and good action. I have looked a long time for this movie, usually in Movie stores, they always refer to the movie with Gene Wilder. I am glad amazon has it and will be mine soon. Thanks

Average customer rating:

Laughable, but entertaining, thriller
Spectacularly Brilliant
garbage

Lady Jayne - Killer
Starring: Erika Eleniak , Adam Baldwin , Julie Du Page , Jeremy Lelliott , and James Remar
Director: Mark L. Lester
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B000087EYA
Release Date: 2003-03-25

Amazon.com

French hottie Julie Du Page has the title role in Lady Jayne: Killer, as an assassin who wears brightly colored thong underwear--which she strips down to when she does her hits. After she takes a suitcase carrying a million dollars from a mob boss, she hits the road with a single mom (Erika Eleniak from Baywatch) and her son who are themselves on the run. The ridiculous plot isn't worth recounting because no one watches a babe-with-guns movie for the story (and certainly not for the truly atrocious dialogue). Unfortunately, Lady Jayne: Killer falls woefully short on skin and action--the modestly titillating scenes are few and you can find better shootouts on television. Also featuring Adam Baldwin and James Remar, two decent actors who presumably needed the money. --Bret Fetzer

Customer Reviews:

Laughable, but entertaining, thriller.......2005-04-09

Once upon a time, director Mark L. Lester directed two of my all-time favorite drive-in flicks/guilty pleasures: "Bobbie Joe and the Outlaw" and "Class of 1984", the former featuring "Wonder Woman" herself Lynda Carter flashing her breasts and shooting it out with the police while the latter features a very young Michael J. Fox getting knifed in a high school cafeteria by a psychotic punk gangster. The movies were trash, but they had flair. Now, with drive-ins nearing extinction and the drive-in movie a thing of the past, Lester is stuck helming direct-to-video nonsense like "Lady Jayne: Killer", with a standard B-level cast including video stalwarts James Remar, Adam Baldwin and Erika Eleniak playing total stereotypes involved with a psychotic, sexy hit woman named Jayne, played by a supposedly "hot" French actress name Julie Du Page, who in reality has a hot body but a face that a only a blind man could love. But I digress--

The plot is standard for this kind of opus. Jayne is looking to leave Los Angeles after her latest hit job. Unfortunately, she can't get a flight or a rental car. What's a psycho babe to do? What anyone else would do: she hitches a ride with the dumbest mother and son in the United States, Emily Shaw (Eleniak) and her hormonal (natch) teenage son Kerry (Jeremy Lelliott), who themselves are heading to Houston to escape a vicious drug dealer Kerry has crossed. The fact that Jayne is an obvious sociopath who immediately starts hitting on Kerry and has no luggage except for a silver case usually used in movies like this to transport money doesn't seem to elicit any alarm in Emily: oh, no. She, Kerry and Jayne simply head off to Houston, using the same route movies like this always use: the back roads through the Mojave Desert, not the direct route on I-10, since to do that the filmmakers would have to pay for the proper permits.

Actually, the movie peaks about halfway through, when Emily's car breaks down and the three check into a motel for the night. They get adjoining rooms, with the connecting doors unlocked and wide open, even when Kerry and Jayne are both parading around in towels. (Not the standard postage-stamp size motel towels, but huge ones that strategically cover vital parts of their bodies.) This sets up the highlight of the film: a cringe-inducing fantasy sequence where Kerry drops trou and joins Jayne in the shower. What does he do in his fantasy once he joins her? Nope, he doesn't make out with her. He washes her back. Honest!

It's all down hill from there, as Remar and Baldwin join the foray as lawmen on different sides of the law. (Just figure out who's the bad guy: Jayne's cohort (Remar) or the FBI agent on her tail (Baldwin). Here's a hint: if you guessed Remar, you've never seen a movie like this in your entire life.)

Actually, "Lady Jayne: Killer", as stupid as it is, is still a kick, as campy hoots usually are. It runs a brisk 90 minutes, and the cast is surprisingly competent, even if Baldwin in particular seems to be wondering how he got from "Ordinary People" to here. Du Page is actually quite effective as a psychotic hit woman, in spite of the fact that her character is horribly written and virtually unplayable with a straight face. Remar is solid, and Eleniak does the best she can as a mother who has absolutely no common sense whatsoever. As for Lelliott, well, if you can't say something nice--

The only problem with "Lady Jayne: Killer" is that it's not presented in widescreen format, but in a good-looking full screen print with no extras except for a rather limited filmography for the principles, which for some reason leaves "Bobbie Jo--" and "Class of 1984" off of Lester's film list. But I'm giving it a pass since it is obvious it was filmed for television viewing. In other words, unlike the Disney classics and great action films like "Charley Varrick", the full screen format, while maddening, actually suits product like "Lady Jayne: Killer".

*** (out of *****) for the film; ** for the DVD

Spectacularly Brilliant.......2004-04-26

I saw this movie in a sold out theater in Bloomington, Indiana. Let me tell you, what a film! The dialog captured what being an assassin is really all about. Whatever you do in life, remember this--it's better to be friends with an assassin than to be enemies with an assassin. Jayne is one bad femme fatal. She was a victim of a mother and son combo that picks up hitchhikers, and then robs them in their sleep. Very sneaky. Unfortunately, Lady Jayne: Killer met with a very tragic end-the credits. By the way, after the credits rolled, the entire Bloomington, Indiana audience gave it a standing ovation for well over two minutes! Not since "Titanic" has a film captured the hearts and minds of the Indiana crowd. Besides cow punching and baby swapping, we Indianans also enjoy assassinating each other. We Indianans are more inclined to liken ourselves to Lady Jayne: Killer than say, Lee Harvey Oswald? Ready...aim...FIRE! Duck, Ma! It's raining bullets outside again, and the neighbor just found his cow dead with two bullets in its udder, and it ain't pina colada leaking out of it I can tell you that much right now cause I just slurped it up boy. RUN MA RUN! Lady Jayne: Killer is a solid film.(...)He'll pay, too. I can assure you. CLICK--BANG

garbage.......2004-01-13

Yes, the girls are pretty, but the acting, plot, and holes in the plot are laughable and pathetic. James Remar looks embarassed, and Baldwin looks stoned. Why did they even waste the film? Makes Ed Wood look like Orson Welles.

Average customer rating:

they made me a criminal-ROAN DVD

Lady Gangster/They Made Me a Criminal
Starring: John Garfield , The Dead End Kids , Claude Rains , Ann Sheridan , and May Robson
Director: Busby Berkeley , and Robert Florey
Manufacturer: ROAN
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Film Noir Double Feature, Vol. 2: The Chase/Bury Me Dead
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ASIN: B000286RJS
Release Date: 2004-06-29

Customer Reviews:

they made me a criminal-ROAN DVD.......2005-03-04

ROAN boasts these movies are re-mastered from the best possible sources but when i saw the poor quality of the print i was very disappointed. The print of lady gangster is better, both of which are decent movies. I recently saw "Criminal" on Turner Classic Movies and the print was exceptional. why couldn't ROAN use that print? you get what you pay for.

Average customer rating:

Hit Lady...a lost minor gem

Hit Lady
Starring: Yvette Mimieux , Joseph Campanella , Clu Gulager , Dack Rambo , and Keenan Wynn
Director: Tracy Keenan Wynn
Manufacturer: Platinum Disc
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B00005LDCZ
Release Date: 2001-03-01

Customer Reviews:

Hit Lady...a lost minor gem.......2005-05-30

Picked this up in a bargain bin, not expecting a lot from it. Drawn to it by cast members Yvette Mimieux and Clu Gulager. Also features Joseph Campanella who I didn't recognise by name but the face was familiar from countless crime/mob movies and telemovies. A young Dack Rambo also features.

Competently directed by Tracey Keenan Wynn, whose dad, Keenan, plays a typically interesting if brief cameo at the very beginning.

The back cover blurb is misleading, stating that 'Mimieux plays a professional assassin who does most of her killing while clad in a bikini'. While that sounds great, the movie actually has much more depth, dealing with what happens to the hit lady when she wants to quit.

In a distant way, it reminded me of the grimmer, much more violent 'Montana' (a masterpiece of it type), also about getting in too deep to leave the game.

That said, 'Hit Lady' is plainly a telemovie of the seventies (including the fashions!) and treads rather lightly.

If made these days, it would be a lot more violent. What really does appeal is the sense of hopelessness, then the sudden surge of optimism experienced by the Mimieux character before the surprise ending.

All up, this movie is a bit tame, but never lame - and well worth a look. I really enjoyed it, and would like to get a really good DVD transfer of it.

Average customer rating:

Nice Lady
Stolen money, women in prison, and gangsters in drag!
"I like women who ain't all sawdust inside."
It ain't citizen kane, but ....

Lady Gangster
Starring: Faye Emerson , Julie Bishop , Frank Wilcox , Roland Drew , and Jackie Gleason
Director: Robert Florey
Manufacturer: Alpha Video
ProductGroup: DVD
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Hammer Film Noir Double Feature, Vol. 4 (Terror Street / Wings of Danger)

ASIN: B00009NH8N
Release Date: 2003-07-22

Customer Reviews:

Nice Lady.......2005-11-19

For every Warner Brothers classic like CASABLANCA, there's dozens of Warners "B" movies that no one has ever heard of. This 1942 crime melodrama is one of them. Framed for a robbery, Faye Emerson is sent to women's prison; then, like her male counterparts in movies like this, she breaks out and tries to clear her name. This enjoyable, compact little picture moves so rapidly (running less than an hour) that you barely have time to mull over the illogical chain of events. Ultimately, however, the film's most memorable aspect is the appearance of young supporting cast member Jackie Gleason, a decade before his television immortality.

Stolen money, women in prison, and gangsters in drag!.......2005-05-15

This review is of the Alpha dvd of "Lady Gangster." It's described on the cover as a "Warner Brothers noir classic", but I think that's going a little too far. I guess it earns a spot in what Eddie Muller would call the caper subgenre of film noir, but it's also in the "women-in-prison" genre. In any event, it's an ulta-low budget film that barely lasts over an hour, and it's never terribly exciting or compelling. So why the four star rating? Because this is one of those movies that's so bad it's good! You've probably never heard of any of the cast, except for a young Jackie Gleason in a supporting role. Despite the fact that he plays a tough guy, he still just looks like a pudgy teddy bear that you can't help but laugh at!

Faye Emerson stars as Dorothy Burton, the only female member of a gang that has just robbed another bank. Everything goes smoothly, until a dog somehow gets her into trouble with the police, who arrest her. Ever notice how dogs usually bring on the downfall of the main character in noirs, like in "High Sierra" and "The Killing"? Anyway, she's arrested on charges of being an accomplice in the bank robbery, but she's released soon thanks to an old friend, Kenneth Phillips (played by Frank Wilcox), who's a very influential reporter. However, she starts to feel guilty and decides to tell the truth and heads right back to jail. In the women's prison she becomes close friends with one prisoner (Julie Bishop) while becoming enemies with two other prisoners, one an ugly, cold-hearted deaf woman and the other a prissy, annoying stool pigeon.

Before going to jail, Dorothy had hidden the stolen $40,000 from her three accomplices after finding out they were going to double-cross her. They're not too happy about her hiding the money, and one of them dresses in drag (and this is a 1942 movie!) in order to fool the guards and see Dorothy on visiting day. This is obviously the most (unintentionally) hilarious scene of the whole film! The deaf girl and the stool pigeon find out about the missing money and they tell the warden, which immediately ruins Dorothy's chances of getting a parole. Thinking it was Kenneth who betrayed her, she tricks him into going to her apartment to get the money, where unknown to him Dorothy's three accomplices are waiting to kill him.

When she finds out that Kenneth didn't betray her, she breaks out of jail(!) and tries to save him while redeeming herself in the process. I won't spoil the ending, but let's just say it wasn't exactly an edge-of-the-seat thriller! Overall, I'd say this movie is definitely worth getting if you're a film noir fanatic like me, because you'll have a lot of fun laughing at the dated dialogue, cliches, and of course the female prisoners with flawless make-up and hairdos! And poor Jackie Gleason probably didn't realize that this "serious" role was one of his funniest! His most memorable line in this is: "I don't like to see a dame like that get mixed up in a job like this." Considering the age of this little-known movie, I was pleasantly surprised by the overall very good picture and sound quality of the dvd. Highly recommended!

"I like women who ain't all sawdust inside.".......2004-11-30

Dorothy Burton (Faye Emerson), a failed actress, is hired by a gang of bank robbers. Her job is to get inside the bank before it opens--with the gang following closely behind. Dorothy certainly looks respectable enough, but the robbery goes wrong, and Dorothy is left to take the rap. The police don't believe Dorothy's protestations that she just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Radio personality, Kenneth Phillips comes to Dorothy's rescue, and he negotiates a good behaviour release. Dorothy's tentative release goes wrong and she ends up in the slammer.

"Lady Gangster" is a B-film. The title and the plot seem attractive, but the film is mediocre. The strongest character here is Dorothy, but unfortunately the script doesn't make her wicked enough, and moments of remorse weaken the plot. At times, she's as hard as nails, and she manages to fool Phillips--but not the police or the prison warden. Jackie Gleason appears in a small role as Wilson, one of the bank robbers. Some of the best scenes take place in the women's prison--with female prisoners coming to blows over the ironing board. There's also a cross-dressing gang member who adds to the fun. For B film fans, Lady Gangster is a fairly painless way to spend an evening, but the lack of dramatic tension weakens the film--displacedhuman

It ain't citizen kane, but ...........2004-04-22

for a grade-P or Q noir explotation flick, this one's just about perfect ... the "moll" speaking grammarically perfect English, slaps that don't quite connect, the tough guys, the fight scenes that seem stilted somehow; the can't-quite-figure-it-out love interest, major plot holes, assorted prison buds and creeps, the ultra-kind matron, car chases, and on top of it all, a VERY young Jackie Gleason playing one of the gang, with several good lines. You can't get better entertainment, intended or not, for this price.
BUY IT!!

Average customer rating:

The Mob: Gangster Story/Hit Lady
Starring: W/Mimieux, Y Matthau
Manufacturer: Platinum Disc
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00008G8SI
Release Date: 1999-06-29

DVD:

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